2026 Inspiring Solutions winners announced at IASP Sophia Antipolis

The IASP Inspiring Solutions awards programme recognises initiatives and approaches developed by the management teams of science parks, innovation districts, and other IASP member organisations. It provides a platform for sharing good practices across the network, encouraging knowledge exchange and recognising excellence in the industry. 

For its 13th edition, the programme received 49 entries from 19 countries. A panel of experts shortlisted 10 finalists, from which IASP members selected the three winners through a voting process. 

The winners were announced during the Gala Dinner of the IASP World Conference, held at the Bastion Saint-Jaume in Antibes. IASP President Salvatore Majorana and Gladys Koletit of Konza Technopolis, sponsor of this year's awards, joined IASP CEO Ebba Lund on stage to present the winning projects. 

We are delighted to announce the 2026 Inspiring Solutions winners: 

First Place: Ruta N, Colombia 
“Generación Tech” 
Generación Tech brings STEAM skills, scientific thinking and an entrepreneurial mindset into public schools in Medellín, turning them into hubs of innovation. Its innovative approach is to build the city’s future talent from within, nurturing early vocations among young people and teachers rather than relying on attracting talent from outside. Read more about it. 

Second Place: Bilişim Vadisi, Türkiye & The Athens Startup Business Incubator (THEA), Greece 
“Greece–Türkiye Hackathon 2024–2025” 
This programme was created to give young people from Greece and Türkiye a structured way to co-develop solutions to shared challenges in smart cities and the green transition. What makes it innovative is that cross-border collaboration is built into its design, with mixed-nationality teams and incubation support that takes ideas beyond the hackathon itself. Read more about it. 

Third Place: Melbourne Innovation District, Australia 
“Regenerative Futures Challenge” 
Led by RMIT University with partners across the district, this place-based programme turns the City North Social Innovation Precinct into a living lab where communities, researchers, industry and government co-design and test solutions. It has delivered more than 20 projects, including the Student Food Co-Op, which supported over 2,000 students and delivered more than 16,000 meals. Read more about it. 

Congratulations to the three winners, and thank you to all the finalists for sharing their work and experience with the IASP network. 

To explore previous winners and discover more innovative practices, visit the Inspiring Solutions best practices repository.